


High Heels

by dapperwings



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Soldier AU, Stephanie Brown & Cassandra Cain - Freeform, or steph/cass if you want
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperwings/pseuds/dapperwings
Summary: Just a short angsty drabble with two of my fav girls.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	High Heels

**Author's Note:**

> The amazing Kasieli created artwork of the batfam with dog tags at the same time I wrote this. They were gracious enough to let me use their art for this story-thanks Kasieli!!!!!
> 
> [My tumblr](https://dapper-wings.tumblr.com)
> 
> [Kasieli's tumblr](https://kasieli.tumblr.com)

Steph looked at the pairs of colorful, tall high heels sitting behind the glass window, thinking they clustered together like beautiful ladies in designer gowns at a sophisticated party. 

“See something you like?” asked Cass, coming up to stand beside her and crossing her arms under her dog tags.

“Yeah,” Steph said. She knew Cass was just teasing, but she felt serious. “I’ve always liked these shoes. Glittery, tall high heels.”

“Buy a pair? Paycheck’s out tomorrow.”

“Yeah, no.” Steph scoffed, looking down at her feet. “They’re impractical. No time to wear them and I’m not carrying them around on top of all my other stuff just because they’re _pretty_.”

She shifted in her standard army boots and glanced over, knowing what she would see. Cass wore the same. So did everyone in their garrison. 

“We’re soldiers, always moving. Can’t exactly do that in heels. I’m not Beyoncé.”

“I don’t know. You could be.” Cass grinned, knocking into Steph’s shoulder. Steph laughed at that, shaking her head and looking up at the window. 

“One day, though.” Steph looked at the shoes like she was making a promise to herself. She fingered her dog tags and her eyes softened, “One day, I’m going to put up these boots, walk in this store, and buy the _glitteriest_ pair of high heels they’ve got. I’ll wear them to a club, pair ‘em with a short dress, make _everyone_ look at me. Dance and laugh and kiss till the sun comes up. Then I’ll go home, take them off, and just _look_ at them until I fall asleep.”

Cass listened, surprised. She’d never heard Steph talk like this. “That sounds amazing.” 

She watched the fantasy fade from Steph’s eyes, replaced by the practical soldier she’d seen in her friend for the last two years. “Yeah.” Steph said, “yeah, it does.”

Cass searched out Steph’s eyes, holding her gaze when she had it. “You should do it.”

Steph smiled bitterly. She opened her mouth, then closed it, trapping the words. “Eh, clubs are no fun alone anyways.” she shrugged, then looked up at Cass, forcing a smile. "What do you say? Our contract ends in half a year. Girls’ night out after all this is done?”

Cass knew that wasn’t what she meant to say. But Steph was hard, posture defensive, and Cass didn’t want to press. “Of course,” she clapped Steph’s shoulder and grinned again, “but I’m not wearing any of those.”

Steph laughed and squeezed Cass’s hand. “Deal.” She scanned the bright pairs of shoes one last time, then walked away.

Cass hesitated. She glanced at the shoes, searching, then followed Steph.

_Six Months Later_

Steph stared through the pristine glass window. She still wore her boots, and her eyes were still hard hard. Her face was harder.

Pairs of colorful high heels sat behind the glass, just like six months ago when she and Cass had stopped at the tiny shop. Steph couldn’t tell if they were the exact same shoes or not, but she saw the ones she wanted. Right there in the middle; the tallest, glitteriest pair of sparkly high heels.

Steph bit her lip, felt something flip inside her, trying to force its way outside, but she didn’t let it. Instead, she clamped it down and went in the store.

The whole exchange took less than ten minutes. She pointed at the shoes, and the clerk eyed her with surprise and then excitement. Those shoes were expensive. He would be rich today. She handed over a roll of cash, took the change. The doorbell jangled behind her, and Steph stopped at the window, looking at the empty spot in the middle where the heels had just stood.

They were in her hand now, wrapped in black paper. Reverently, she pulled them close, held them tight to her chest. She shifted, telling herself she was ready to walk away. 

Her stomach flipped again. Tears fell down her face. Her body felt heavy, forcing her to stay. To feel.

She clutched at two pairs of dog tags around her neck. 

Holding the shoes with one hand and the tags with the other, she shuddered out a quiet “I got ‘em, Cass. I got ‘em. Tonight, I’m going to a club. For you.”

Standing straight, she willed herself not to cry. Instead, she dropped her hand from the tags, swiped it across her face, let it fall to her side. Clutching the package tight to her chest, Steph walked away from the window and went to find a club.


End file.
